


pray for us in the vast empty

by cupcakentea



Series: The Unholy Trinity [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupcakentea/pseuds/cupcakentea
Summary: The farm is much closer now and Louis doesn’t know how long he’s been walking for. The field almost looks denser here, the crops taller, perfectly hiding him. He takes off his plastic mask, the inside of it humid with his dewy breath, hanging it by its string on one of the bigger plants.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: The Unholy Trinity [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1991371
Comments: 16
Kudos: 27
Collections: 1D Trick Or Treat Fest 2020





	pray for us in the vast empty

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Hello! It's been a while!  
> This fic was written as part of the 1D Trick or Treat Fest - all ficlets are 666 words long. Be sure to check out the rest of the collection!  
> Thank you to the wonderful [bananamission](http://archiveofourown.org/users/bananamission) for proofreading this baby.
> 
> **As always, I do not allow translations or repost of my works to this or any other website.**

There’s a gentle wind carding through Louis’ hair when he walks out of the fairground. The electric glow of the rides and stalls stretch out in the cornfield for miles, almost lighting up the McMillan’s farm on the other end of the dry sea. They paint the tall plants pink and orange, bringing to life the brownish leaves. Louis reaches out to capture one, rub its crackling texture between his fingertips.  
  
Oli and Andrew disappeared earlier, too busy talking about getting hotdogs to notice Louis trailing behind, slightly too far. Children's high-pitched giggling, gaggles of teenagers crying out, relentless music spilling out of the ghost train and dodgems: everything felt too loud.  
So he stepped left, then out, reaching the limit drawn by the carnies’ trucks.  
  
Still, there’s not enough quietness there, the air filled with the smell of fried food and sickeningly sweet candy.  
  
He steps inside the field, follows the path that’s been trodden over and over again, earth hardened and clear of any dead leaf. The corn feels like walls beside him, all-compassing yet pliant, bending softly for the autumn breeze blowing across the field. The chitters of bugs become stronger, steadily replacing the buzz of the fair as Louis progresses.  
He lets his arms fall open, hands brushing continuously against the thick stems, their ridges bumping his palms in a soothing rhythm.  
  
He stumbles into a small clearing. A perfect circle in what seems to be the middle of the field. The farm is much closer now and Louis doesn’t know how long he’s been walking for. The field almost looks denser here, the crops taller, perfectly hiding him. He takes off his plastic mask, the inside of it humid with his dewy breath, hanging it by its string on one of the bigger plants.   
  
It’s only then that he notices the mound in front of him, resting against the opposite wall of dry corn. It slowly stands up, revealing itself to Louis.  
  
A deer; cast in blue hues, veiled in shadows and lit by the moon. A deer, with four distinct eyes, glowing rings of yellow staring right at Louis. Pinning him down.  
  
He feels his blood freeze in his veins. Not with fear, despite the slow raising of his hair, but with anticipation.  
The animal blinks, one eye after the other, before lowering its head in an odd greeting. Louis follows suit. When he raises his head, the deer is already retreating further in the maze.  
  
It’s as he watches it that Louis realizes that the lights of the fair are suddenly closer, much closer than they were a moment ago. A crunch joins the chirps of the bugs. A step on dried, fallen leaves. And a brightness that casts Louis’ long shadow out against the field.  
  
Moistness hits the back of his neck. A single puff of breath, before a small inhale. As if They don’t want to be noticed.  
  
Louis turns around in increments, coming to terms with what he sees. A silhouette dressed in black clothes, milky hands folded over each other in front of themselves in a shy stance. A supernova of light where Their head should be.  
  
They both gasp when they face each other, Louis’ eyes squinting to unsuccessfully adjust to the glare. But they can’t. Even as he closes his lids, the luminescence remains, inescapable.  
  
He reaches out, hands tentatively caressing features he can’t see. The straight line of a brow. The arch of an eye. The slope of a nose. The plush curve of a mouth. Dimples, etched on both sides of it.  
A sigh.  
They both smile.  
  
Louis feels the buzz of an incoming call in his pocket, a disruption to the chant of the cicadas and the beetles.  
  
His hands tighten in curls as he feels his eyes burn out.   
“I’ve been waiting for you”.   
Lips fall open as they speak in unison, stark white encompassing them in a great searing flash.  
  
The phone falls to the ground, ringing on.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, please consider leaving kudos, commenting and/or [reblogging the tumblr post](https://cupcakentea.tumblr.com/post/633418274373337088/pray-for-us-in-the-vast-empty-666-by-cupcakentea).
> 
> Title from this Welcome To Night Vale quote :  
> “Nothing there but a distant airplane crawling across the sky, red blinking lights, vulnerable in the vast empty, faint red beacons flashing the message HELLO. A SMALL ISLAND OF LIFE UP HERE, VERY CLOSE TO SPACE. PRAY FOR US. PRAY FOR US.”


End file.
